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Rich Goodale

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Britain from Above--a new resource
« on: June 25, 2012, 04:43:44 AM »
britainfromabove.org.uk

This site was launched today (although it seems that it crashed shortly thereafter)....... :'(

It is sponsored by English Heritage (although Scotland and Wales are also included), and claims to have 15,000 early (i.e. from post WWI) aerial photos on file already, with another 80,000 or so to follow.  Once the site does get up and working it should offer some great opportunities for looking at golf courses in their early days (e.g. Muirfield before and after Colt got there, Sandy Parlour in its prime, etc. etc.).

Enjoy.

Rich
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Adam Lawrence

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #1 on: June 25, 2012, 04:45:00 AM »
English Heritage is a fantastic resource for old aerials. Putting them online will just make getting at them a ton easier.
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Adam Lawrence

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Mark_Rowlinson

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2012, 06:08:34 AM »
I've only been able to get up one page of golf course aerials so far before it crashed, but it looks most promising. There are apparently 480 images answering the GOLF search.
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Mark_Rowlinson

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #3 on: June 25, 2012, 10:26:33 AM »
http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw015721?filter=28706&ref=420

This is a link to a British course which has not been identified. Quite a lot of bunkers. Any ideas?
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Rich Goodale

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #4 on: June 25, 2012, 12:00:38 PM »
My first guess, Mark, would be Blairgowrie.
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Life is good.

Any afterlife is unlikely and/or dodgy.

Jean-Paul Parodi

Brian_Ewen

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #5 on: June 25, 2012, 01:18:08 PM »
Quote from: Mark_Rowlinson on June 25, 2012, 10:26:33 AM
http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw015721?filter=28706&ref=420

This is a link to a British course which has not been identified. Quite a lot of bunkers. Any ideas?
Took me half a dozen tries to bring up.

Interesting.

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Ally Mcintosh

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2012, 02:06:50 PM »
Quote from: Brian_Ewen on June 25, 2012, 01:18:08 PM
Quote from: Mark_Rowlinson on June 25, 2012, 10:26:33 AM
http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw015721?filter=28706&ref=420

This is a link to a British course which has not been identified. Quite a lot of bunkers. Any ideas?
Took me half a dozen tries to bring up.

Interesting.




That one is interesting... Very intriguing bunkering for a British inland course... Looks halfway between an old penal school and newer strategic thoughts... Someone like Fowler perhaps... West Surrey maybe?....
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Mark_Rowlinson

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2012, 02:40:35 PM »
That is serious bunkering! Centre-line bunkers, weird and wonderful shapes, and how many bunkers are there on that short hole in the distance? Thanks for capturing the image. I haven't been able to get it to work since this morning. I got a brief glimpse of the first page of 40 images of a search of 'golf' (which has not worked since). There were a few of St Andrews, Royal Wimbledon (which needs to be captioned correctly) and a number of fairly obscure courses. When they've got over their overload it will make a fascinating perusal.
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Marty Bonnar

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2012, 03:30:10 PM »
I CAN'T stop just gazing at that photo. Gives me chills.

F.
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Mark_Rowlinson

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #9 on: June 26, 2012, 06:54:11 AM »
The website seems to be running OK this morning. Just type in golf in the search function and it brings up 188 images. No doubt more will follow.
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Brian_Ewen

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #10 on: June 26, 2012, 08:30:25 AM »
Quote from: Martin Glynn Bonnar on June 25, 2012, 03:30:10 PM
I CAN'T stop just gazing at that photo.

Me too  :(

The only clue we have is, that the photo was taken in 1926.

I am thinking Braid ?

Wish I had more time on my hands  :(
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Paul_Turner

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #11 on: June 26, 2012, 10:43:17 AM »
I think it could be Mackenzie's Hadley Wood in Herts.  Just a guess though.
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Tom Culley

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #12 on: June 26, 2012, 10:49:14 AM »
Whatever course it is in the photo, I'm sure we can all agree that it won't like like that any more!
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"Play the ball as it lies, play the course as you find it, and if you cannot do either, do what is fair. But to do what is fair, you need to know the Rules of Golf."

Paul_Turner

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #13 on: June 26, 2012, 11:21:37 AM »
My heart bleeds looking at this ol Aerial of Moor Park West (they've mislabeled it as Stoke Poges).

The bunkers were completely ruined a few years back.

« Last Edit: June 26, 2012, 11:23:56 AM by Paul_Turner »
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Tom MacWood

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #14 on: June 26, 2012, 11:21:58 AM »



That is an interesting golf course. It looks like a number of diffferent architects may have had a hand in the design.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2012, 11:23:55 AM by Tom MacWood »
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Mark_Rowlinson

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #15 on: June 26, 2012, 11:33:13 AM »
I thought it might be Royal Wimbledon as it looks similar to the many photos of RW dug up by a search on golf. But I don't think it can be because I can't find these holes or the layout of trees on any other of the RW photos. Maybe I'm being thick. What is sad is to see just how many trees there are on the RW course today - have a look at a Google Aerial!
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Paul_Turner

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #16 on: June 26, 2012, 12:18:47 PM »
This is the same course labeled as Porters Park.  So it's probably the one.

« Last Edit: June 26, 2012, 12:21:51 PM by Paul_Turner »
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Adrian_Stiff

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #17 on: June 26, 2012, 01:18:10 PM »
Porters Park. Designed by Cuthbert Butchartin 1899, Cuthbert designed a handfull of courses around London around the turn of the century, West Hill will be his most familiar, a UK Top 100. Porters Park has held the regional qualyfing for the Open so it must be pretty good although its gone under our radar.

Interesting that once again the committees of yesteryears chose to remove most of the cross bunkering and fill every space with trees. Are we (this site) right or wrong?
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Tiger_Bernhardt

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #18 on: June 26, 2012, 01:37:39 PM »
Nice find rihc
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Niall C

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #19 on: June 26, 2012, 01:45:02 PM »
Thats a serious amount of sand on that course. I can't imagine thats how Butchart designed it in 1899 unless of course it was a sandy site anyway with open quarries but judging by the surrounding countryside that doesn't look the case. Before I saw the answer I was going to suggest Sandy Lodge.

Niall
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Marty Bonnar

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #20 on: June 26, 2012, 02:05:34 PM »
Quite a few changes, but still the bones of the old bunkering...

http://goo.gl/maps/MjK0

Nice.........!

However, emasculation in the main, I'm afraid...

http://porterspark.com/Our-Course.asp

F.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2012, 02:11:19 PM by Martin Glynn Bonnar »
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The White River runs dark through the heart of the Town,
Washed the people coal-black from the hole in the ground.

Mark Pearce

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #21 on: June 26, 2012, 03:12:36 PM »
I used to organise a golf day at Porters Park at my old firm.  I don't remember much of he course but I do remember they had a very good junior section.  I also remember our senior partner, who had been an excellent golfer and was a former club champion at PP almost be searching his Japanese client not to attempt the 150 yard carry over water with his 3 wood in a green sons and almost crying when said 3 wood was topped into said water.  The client hadn't got the ball in the air all the way round.  I remember thinking PP wasn't really suitable for a golf day with the usual very weak corporate folders.
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DMoriarty

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #22 on: June 26, 2012, 04:05:15 PM »
Thanks for the link Rich.  Cool site.
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Neil_Crafter

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #23 on: June 27, 2012, 03:03:53 AM »
I have found a couple of Mackenzie related aerials - first is one of Troon Portland from 1927, followed by one of Walsall GC from 1926 - this was extended to 18 holes by Mac in 1919-20. I have also found some aerials of the old 9 hole London Flying Club course (NLE) that Mac designed around 1920 too, although these did not come up under a "golf" search, but rather one for "Hendon". Had these before from a search  in the English Heritage archives by Nick Norton. So there may well be segments of golf courses in other aerials that are just not labelled in the description.

Troon Portland


Walsall


London Flying Club
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James Boon

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Re: Britain from Above--a new resource
« Reply #24 on: June 27, 2012, 03:29:23 AM »
Rich,

An excellent website, thanks for bringing it to our attention.

I often need historic aerials for work so I'll be able to use this in the office as well, where I will probably waste hours surfing around as I did when Google Earth first arrived on the scene...  ::)

Cheers,

James
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